Memorial of St. Scholastica, virgin

Today's Mass Readings

Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza

Immaculee Ilibagiza was very young when the Rwandan Genocide broke out. She witnessed some of the worst evil that one could imagine. She survived because a local pastor took her and eight other women into hiding. She had to hide in a tight space for three months. She struggled to know why God would allow this to happen to her family and people. She prayed every day during this ordeal. Then she came to the inspiration that God was calling her to work for healing. Jesus called to her, in the midst of this persecution, to work to reconcile people in Rwanda and abroad after the Genocide. She forgave many, including a family friend who had killed her family and came after her. To this day, Immaculee still works to spread the message of reconciliation and evangelize in Catholicism.

This is the memorial of St. Scholastica, a holy virgin. She was both a religious sister and St. Benedict’s sister. We honor her in the Benedictine world for her piety and trust in God. There is a story where St. Benedict and Scholastica met to talk about spiritual matters. Benedict wanted to get back to his monastery before nightfall. Scholastica implored him to stay. When he got up to leave, Scholastica prayed for God to stop him, and a storm came up which prevented Benedict from leaving. She gently showed St. Benedict that nothing was to be preferred to God. Let us give thanks to God for St. Scholastica and for Immaculee Ilibagiza. Amen.

Reflection by Br. Matthew Marie, OSB